Can't see the wood for the trees...

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I have Active Sky 2016 running with Live Weather active. I've done a search in AS2016 to find somewhere that has heavy rain and stormy weather. I've then gone into FSX and loaded up the default PMDG 747 V3 (570 model) on the active runway at that airport so that the I'm ready for take off, engines running and all systems go.

Outside it's pouring with rain, runway is soaked, visibility is less than 3 miles and I'm getting lightning flashes, result! I have a green bar weather update confirming it's not pleasant weather in my location.

I have clicked the WX button on the EFIS so that WX etc displays on the ND. So far so good.

However, there is no depiction on the ND of the rain and storm, no pretty green, yellow, red colours etc. Trust me, it's heaving down outside!

I have tried adjusting both the gain and tilt in each direction but nothing appears on the ND display. I have tried WX and WX-T. When I click the Test button it confirms the radar is active.

I've re-read the Intro Weather Radar section and looked at FCOM page 1220 onwards as advised (the wood) but I just can't see which click of which button on the weather radar (the trees) I need to do to get it to display the wet weather waiting for me!

Would appreciate some help from experienced weather radar users.

Thanks!

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Look at AS16 and 1) Ensure it says it is connected to FSX and 2) Look at the AS16 map and verify it is showing precipitation at your location. The only button you normally need to use is the EFIS WXR button.

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is the radar even supposed operate when you're on the ground? maybe the GCS kicks in automatically? i always wait to turn it on until climbout so i guess i can't say i actually know what it does in the ground case. maybe you should try taking off and see if you get any returns as you enter the system. maybe that can determine if there is nothing reflecting or if it's something about being on the runway or a bug with it not operating at all. i don't know if the beam tilts up past the horizontal either.

cheers,-andy crosby

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Guest

Quick update as I couldn't help myself. Dan, there is def rain in the area. Went to KWFN which had very heavy rain, centred the AS16 map on the plane and there was plenty of yellow and green areas all around the plane.

I took off to check Andy's idea. It's a very short runway so I did fly through the trees and barely made it over the hills. I got a terrain warning with the terrain proximity image depiction on the ND so that's def working, Plenty of stormy rain, lightning flashes and lots of wind as well but still no precipitation showing on the radar.

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You might want to check the tilt of the antenna. IIRR, it defautts to -2 degrees. If you're sitting on the ground, the radar can't see anything...

My Collins Multiscan Radar Manual says that during takeoff, the readout will be +5 degrees (an average of two scans, one at 3, one at 7). As the aircraft climbs, the angular difference between the two scans reduces.

Quote

is the radar even supposed operate when you're on the ground?

That's how the Predictive Windshear sees windshear during takeoff. Also, I've never had any problems seeing radar returns on the real aircraft with this type of radar.

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Guest

Only thing I've got running like that is Windows Defender and the FSX folder is excluded which is where AS16 is installed. I'm sure it must be a button push or enable somewhere on the radar or pedestal that I'm missing! Just can't figure it out!

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Guest

Grrr, this is so frustrating! I've tried each default model as a test, still no joy. I have made sure REX weather engine is off and it's winds and visibility are disabled. FSX weather is set to clear skies so that AS2016 can override it.

Now sitting at KOAK in the rain. When I press the test button it warns me of wind shear ahead.

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Based on your description in your initial post there's nothing you are doing wrong or missing James. Its as simple as hitting the WRX button on the EFIS and making sure that its either in WX or WX+T mode with reasonable GAIN settings (you can leave it on Auto though). I didnt even have to change any settings in AS to make it work.

Do you run AS on the same machine as your sim or is it a networked install? If its the latter it might be worth to try a re-install of the AS connect software on the sim PC. You will find it in your AS install folder. Also, if its a network installation, make sure that port 19284 is open, thats used for WX Radar communication afaik.

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Guest

AS is not a network install but I ran the AS connect install.exe again anyway. I installed the X Gauge and currently have it open, it's working fine and showing me the precipitation in KSCK which is where I am now sitting. So that's working OK which is good news. I also have the Active Sky Remote Weather page open on my second monitor and that also shows me the same detail as X Gauge of course.

I have disabled Windows Defender, no other AV installed.

So it must be something in PMDG, perhaps a setting in the FMC that I am missing? I have paged through the options for equipment and displays but can't find anything related.

Appreciate you taking the time to help me pin point this.

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Youre welcome, glad you are making progress :) As you now have kind of proof that AS is working correctly and outputs radar data, i suggest to open a ticket with PMDG through http://support.precisionmanuals.com/Main

I couldnt think of any other settings that would prevent WX radar to work correctly. For me it was working 'right out of the box' without any special adjustments or setting changes. I dont recall that there's kind of a WX on/off setting in the FMC, same goes for AS properties, however cant check as i'm not in front of my sim rig.

Just out of curiosity, even though i believe its unrelated to WX Radar function, does wind aloft and descent forecast uplink work during FMC pre-flight setup?

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Guest

I'm not sure exactly where I'd find winds aloft and descent forecast uplink during programming the FMC (not had any issues setting up a route, I must have seen it and not registered it properly), so please remind which page in the FMC to check that?

Have a good weekend!

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I'm not sure exactly where I'd find winds aloft and descent forecast uplink during programming the FMC (not had any issues setting up a route, I must have seen it and not registered it properly), so please remind which page in the FMC to check that?

Check the intro manual. Don't remember all of it off the top of my head, but legs page, route data, then select one of the buttons on the right side, doesn't matter which waypoint, and there should be a button for it then.

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I'm not sure exactly where I'd find winds aloft and descent forecast uplink during programming the FMC (not had any issues setting up a route, I must have seen it and not registered it properly), so please remind which page in the FMC to check that?

The winds aloft, if your uplink is working, would appear when your click Iine 6 to the right of RTE DATA> of the ACT RTE 1 LEGS. The ACT RTE 1 DATA page appears. Click on line 6 to the right of Wind Data Request>. In five to ten seconds Load will appear and after that the Execute button will light up . Execute it. Then on the same page you will see W> for each waypoint. Click to the right of the W> and the next page shows winds aloft for four altitudes. You will receive a message the Descent Forecast Wind are available. Go to VNAV page 3 of 3. Click on Forecast. Then Load. Then you will have winds aloft by waypoint and Descent Forecast by altitude in the FMC.

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